Book in Focus is Tata Literature Live’s unofficial book club, where the audience can particpate and chat about a particular book along with authors and contest winners. This year the Book in Focus is Kiran Nagarkar’s Ravan & Eddie.
The seminal 1994 novel focussed attention on the lives of residents of Mumbai chawl. Their daily struggles, minor triumphs over things that others take for granted, private lives conducted in public and warily shared community festivals that pop up seasonally are all part of the Nagarkar’s detailed narrative.
And all of this is hilariously described through the lives of two characters Ravan, a Maharashtrian Hindu boy and Eddie, a Roman Catholic, who live in CWD chawl no. 17. Though living on separate floors and leading different lives their disparate worlds are brought together by a quirky twist of fate.
The novel which has endeared itself to millions of readers has received world-wide praise but more importantly is an essential part of Mumbai’s literary landscape.
Abodh Aras is the Chief Executive Officer of The Welfare Of Stray Dogs (WSD). His passion for street animals and their rights led him to quit the corporate sector and join WSD.
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Kunal Vijayakar is a food writer, youtuber, author, actor, political satirist, popular television personality and food show host. He is also an actor, director and co-writer of the political satirical show The Week That Wasn’t on a leading Indian TV channel. He has written a cookbook Made In India.
More InfoSooni Taraporevala is a photographer, screenwriter and filmmaker, best known for her screenplays of the Oscar‐nominated Salaam Bombay and the internationally acclaimed Mississippi Masala. She has written and directed the Netflix Original feature film Yeh Ballet. Her photographs are in the permanent collections of NGMA, New Delhi and the Met, New York. She has been awarded the civilian honour Padma Shri by the Government of India. She is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences.
More InfoHrishi K is a multiple award winning radio host. He is producer and presenter on India’s biggest breakfast radio show on 94.3 RadioOne, and Podcast creator and anchor on the online platforms ‘moneycontrol.com’ and HT Smartcast. His podcast The HrishiKay Sessions is featured on all major streaming platforms.
More InfoInauguration of Tata Literature Live! 2021
followed by Amitav Ghosh in conversation with Hrishi K
Surviving men
Amy K. Blakemore, Christina Sweeney-Baird
Chair: Peter Griffin
Planting a green thought
Jonathan Drori, Pradip Krishen
Chair: Suprabha Seshan